1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an endoscope apparatus, and more specifically to an endoscope apparatus capable of easily switching gas supplied from a gas supply source for supplying gas to a lumen or a gas supply source for supplying gas to a visceral cavity.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, a surgery is widely performed using a laparoscopy as a type of endoscope. The endoscope operation can perform treating procedures without laparotomy with a view to minimizing the invasion into a patient.
The endoscope operation is performed by inserting an endoscope insertion unit having a hard endoscope for an observation, a treating tool for performing treating procedures, etc. into the belly of a patient. During the operation, to secure the view of the hard endoscope and secure the area for operation of the treating tool, for example, a blower for supplying a carbon dioxide gas etc. as a blow gas to a visceral cavity is used.
Recently, a NOTES (natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery) manipulation for performing an endoscope operation through a mouth, a stomach, a rectum, a vagina, etc. without hurting the skin of a patient has been used. The NOTES manipulation is performed by inserting an endoscope insertion unit from a mouse etc., boring the wall of the tissue of the lumen of a stomach, a large bowel, etc., inserting the endoscope insertion unit from a bored hole into the visceral cavity and performing a necessary treatment.
In proceeding with the NOTES manipulation, a scope is inserted by expanding a lumen and a visceral cavity with supplied gas in the lumen and the visceral cavity. In the lumen, gas is supplied through an instrument channel or a gas and water supply channel of the endoscope insertion unit from a gas supply source for expanding the lumen. In the visceral cavity, gas is supplied through an instrument channel or a gas and water supply channel of the endoscope insertion unit from the gas supply source for expanding the visceral cavity. Therefore, when the endoscope insertion unit is moved between the lumen and the visceral cavity, it is necessary to switch the channels and the gas supply sources.